Futures Stolen
by Mystery Maiden 016
Summary: AU Set during the battle between Ike and the Black Knight at the end of POR. When Soren is forced to help Ike in Mist's stead something irreplaceable is lost.


A/N- This is my first Fire Emblem fic. I don't use dialogue directly from the game but it will be roughly along the same lines. This story is set when Ike battle the Black Knight in POR. Soren and Ike are friends. I don't write slash. Hmm, that seems to be everything that important since my disclaimer is on my profile. I hope you enjoy it! (I love reviews and I tend to write faster if I get them)

Soren smiled grimly as he watched the Daein soldier crumple to the ground, spear tumbling uselessly from limp fingers.

"That's the last of them," called Titania to Ike. The young commander closed his eyes and unbuckled his sword belt, allowing the silver herald of death to fall to the floor. Slowly, from a scabbard on his back Ike pulled forth the fabled blade Ragnell. "Are you ready for this?" asked Titania nervously. Ike smiled and walked to the doors, kicking the dead soldier from his path. Soren barely listened to the instructions Ike was giving to the other mercenaries. He was busy rummaging in his pack for the more powerful of his tomes. Carefully he pulled forth Balogna, Thoron, and Tornado. He nearly dropped Tornado when he heard Ike say he was going alone.

"Ike, no!" he cried in shock. "I'll go with you!" He started forward but was stopped when Titania's slender but powerful hand clamped down on his shoulder. "What are you doing?" he snapped angrily.

"Soren, no." said Ike, shaking his head slightly. "Its too dangerous. I can't allow you to come." Soren hissed in fury but Titania gave him a good shake.

"Let him go. Ike has to do this in order to get past Greil's death."

"Dead men don't get past anything, Titania," replied Soren watching as Ike slipped through the doors. Titania's mouth hardened but her fury was interrupted by a shrill cry.

"Brother, no!" screamed Mist running to the doors. She had been busy tending Oscar's wounds when Ike had went to his doom. Swift as an adder Soren grabbed her wrist before she could follow Ike.

"What are you doing?" barked Soren angrily when the girl started to struggle.

"I'll not let him face Father's killer alone!" cried Mist. "Ike at least needs someone to heal his wounds." Soren grimaced at the thought of Ike lying wounded in a puddle of blood. Mist tried to pull free again.

"Think about this!" retorted Soren. "You haven't seen very much battle. Even Rhys is a better staff wielder than you. You'll just worry Ike." Mist's eyes filled with tears but she accepted the truth of his words.

"Then send Rhys with him! He needs someone!" Titania shook her head.

"Rhys is too vulnerable. He'd be killed and Ike still wouldn't have any help." Mist fell to her knees at Titania's words.

"I can't lose Ike. N-not after everything else I've lost too!" Soren gazed down at the sobbing girl at his feet. Resolutely he picked up the Mend staff she had dropped. Silently he knelt and lifted Mist's chin.

"You're not going to lose him. I won't allow it." Mist gazed at him in shock. Never once in all the years that she had known the dark young mage had he touched her or spoken so gently.

"You'll save him?"

"I will." Titania bit her lip nervously.

"Ike wanted to do this alone." she said, her eyes betraying her need to let Soren go.

"He will," replied Soren standing. "I'll only make sure that he's not betrayed or hurt. I know I can't defeat the Knight." Without another word to the mercenaries who were the closest thing he had to a family Soren walked through the doors.

* * *

Ike could feel the black hatred welling in his breast as he stared at the Knight who had so callously cut down his father. The Knight whose blade was stained with the blood of an unarmed laguz woman. The Knight who would die if Ike had his way.

"Ready your sword," hissed the knight in his ghostly voice. Ike stepped forward to attack when suddenly the doors of the room creaked open and Soren stepped into the room, staff in one hand, tome in the other.

"Soren!" gasped Ike in frustration and shock. "I told you to stay outside!" Soren smirked slightly.

"Who would you rather have here, Ike? Me or your sister?"

"Mist? She was coming here?" Soren nodded, his bright eyes fixed upon the Black Knight.

"I convinced her that I was the better staff wielder. 'Tis fortunate that's true." Ike closed his eyes briefly relief seeping through every pore. Soren's lips quirked slightly knowing how deeply glad his friend was. Ike opened his eyes and turned to the Knight. The battle commenced.

* * *

Soren winced when he heard metal screech as the Knight parried a downward stroke from Ike. It was awe inspiring, watching two titans battle each other so fiercely. Ike cut a deep slash into the Knight's side but took a heavy stroke to the leg in return. Both men back away from each other clutching their wounds. Ike's leg was ready to give out from under him but the Knight was in no position to take advantage as he couldn't lift his sword arm high for fear of tearing himself apart.

Soren rushed to Ike's side releasing the healing magic of the staff. Torn tissues knit back together and blood stopped flowing. Ike was healed and had the upper hand. He lunged forward with devastating ferocity but the Knight had not become who he was by being defeated by a single wound. With deft surety he tossed Alondite to his free hand and parried Ike's cut, then took Ike's momentum away with a thrust of his own. Ike leapt away but was back on even footing with his opponent.

Soren cried out a warning when a trio of soldiers ran into the room. "Leave the boy to me!" shouted the Black Knight, never pausing in his dual. The soldiers wavered in confusion but then spotted Soren.

"Kill the mage!" ordered the spearman, charging forward.

"Soren retreat!" shouted Ike, leaping away from the Knight's attack. "You've done all you can!"

"I can handle them," retorted Soren. "Just deal with the Knight." Soren dropped the Mend staff and flipped through his Tornado tome. He quickly found the spell he wanted and attacked the spearman. He couldn't help but grin when he saw the soldier spin to the ground, blood welling from dozens of cuts. The mage turned and cried another spell but he couldn't stop the third priest from healing the Knight. "Blast," he muttered angrily, snapping the Tornado tome shut. He grabbed his Balogna and flipped to another spell. The third priest deserved to die screaming for his interference. Fire erupted from the floor around the priest, scorching through his leather shoes and turning the flesh beneath to ash. The priest did indeed die screaming.

"That's all of them!" shouted Soren turning and preparing to heal Ike of whatever injuries he had sustained while he was distracted. Soren started forward but froze in horror when he saw Ike start to step back to gain better footing only to slip in a pool of blood from the his previous leg wound. Ike tried to save himself from the fall but only succeeded in slowing his decent. The Knight snarled in victory and raised his blade to slay Ike.

* * *

Ike knew the second he felt his foot slip that it was all over. He wouldn't have a chance to retreat like Titania had counselled him to. In truth he didn't even need to retreat. He knew he could win if only given a little more time but fate had decreed that that wasn't to be.

Ike glanced over and saw Soren frozen with a look of absolute terror on his face. Ike was sorry that he was about to cause Soren grief but it couldn't be helped. Thankfully the Knight probably wouldn't even deign to kill the sage. Soren couldn't fight back at least not against him. Ike frowned a little when he saw the fear on his friend's face melt away to be replaced by cold determination.

A flash of light above him brought Ike's attention back to the Knight. Light from a high above window shone on both the Knight and Alondite causing the both to shine like beacons. The sword was descending quickly and Ike looked away, not wanting to see his own death.

Ike winced when he heard the telltale sound of metal sliding through flesh. Curiously, the young mercenary felt no pain nor the tickle of blood weeping from a mortal wound. Something warm and wet hit his leg. Ike's muddled thoughts reeled with confusion. His leg? Slowly he opened his eyes and looked up. The sight that greeted him caused him to screech in horror.

Soren stood above him, purple robes swaying slightly around his body. In his lower back, just to the left of his spine a shiny red blade poked out. Ike scrambled back just far enough to see the Knight standing motionless holding Soren up with his blade. Ike couldn't see Soren's face. The Knight shook his head.

"Foolish sage. I wasn't planning to kill you. I was even going to let you take your friend's body from here." Soren didn't speak. "It's a shame that your sacrifice will come to naught. I'm going to kill your friend anyway." The Knight paused. "What's that you're saying?" Just then Ike felt the familiar spike of magic in the air that heralded Soren's most powerful spells. Trembling with effort the sages hand came into the air and made a small jerking motion. Ike had never seen such a weak gesture from his friend.

Lightening singed the air and blinded all in the room as it arced from the heavens. Dimly Ike heard the Knight cry out in pain. When he could see again he saw that the Knight had fallen to his knees though he still clutched Alondite. Soren had been thrown across the room and didn't move.

Rage filled Ike at the sight and he stumbled to his feet, grabbing Ragnell as he did so. The Knight got to his feet as well but Ike didn't give him anytime for words. Ike feinted to the left then followed with a thrust. The Knight parried and the fight went on. Within a few minutes Ike got the opportunity he had been waiting for. Growling with rage he unleashed the potency of Aether. The Black Knight fell to the ground, blood rushing from his wounds. Ike left him lying.

Across the room Soren moaned and stirred a little, trying to rise. "Soren!" cried Ike, relieved that his friend wasn't dead. The lord ran over and dropped to his knees beside his wounded comrade.

"Ike?" whispered Soren. Ike winced to see blood leak out of his friend's mouth. He pulled a scrap of cloth from his cape wiped the liquid away.

"I'm here, Soren," he replied, his voice equally soft. The Knight's dead, we won." The dark-haired mage nodded slowly.

"That's g-good at least," murmured Soren shakily. "It wasn't in vain." Ike tore open Soren's robes to better view his wound. Soren's eyes, redder than the blood that stained both their hands locked onto Ike's face. "Fatal?" Ike nodded and swallowed thickly.

"You've got maybe an hour. Knowing you a little more." Soren turned his face away and licked his lips. Ike shuddered knowing that Soren was doing his utmost to hide his pain. But Ike could see it, reflected in his eyes and felt it in the tight grip Soren had on his cape. Soren was ready to scream. "Why'd you do it?" asked Ike stroking back his friend's bangs.

"Y-you're my friend. My on-only friend." whispered Soren thickly. His white teeth latched onto his lip as the pain in his wound spiked and throbbed. Ike gently wiped the sweat from the sage's brow.

"You don't have to hide it for my sake. I know it hurts." Soren's eyes focused once again on Ike. He shuddered but made no sound. Slowly, jerkily Soren released Ike's cape and found his hand instead. Ike sighed. "I have to get you to Rhys." He started to pick Soren up but the sage screamed and writhed.

"Ike, don't!" Soren cried out again and Ike hurriedly put him down.

"I'm sorry!" moaned Ike in dismay. "I'll go find him." Soren, his face chalk white shook his head.

"There's nothing he can do. J-just finish it and be done." Ike froze and started to tremble.

"I can't. I won't." Soren looked at him again and took his free hand from his wound. The hand was scarlet with blood and had dark lumps where the blood had clotted.

"An hour Ike. A-an hour of … needless suffering." Soren paused for breath. "There is n-no need to be seen l-like this." The mage couldn't quite bite back a moan.

"Is that what this is about!" shouted Ike. "Being seen?" Soren's mouth quirked into a tremulous smile.

"Yes. Th-they will come soon. Mist w-will come soon." Ike's anger dissolved at the mention of his sister.

"You took her place. She'll think this is her fault." Soren nodded.

"It would be better if … she thought t-that I didn't … suffer." Ike bowed his head, love for Soren and his sister battling one another. Slowly Mist won. She was alive and would remain alive. Soren wouldn't. Silently Ike pulled out his dagger.

"Are you sure?" Ike prayed that his friend would beg him to stay his blade. He wasn't sure he was strong enough for this. Soren nodded.

"I would rather be slain … by your hand than … by his." Ike brushed away his own tears. In one hand he gripped Soren's and in the other he held his dagger. "Thank you, Ike. I am gl-glad to have known you." Ike closed his eyes.

"Good-bye, Soren." Once again Ike heard the sickening sound of a blade parting flesh. He heard Soren whimper in pain as the dagger found his heart. He heard Soren's last gasp. He heard the silence afterward.

* * *

A/N- I hope you like it. I may do another chapter showing what happens afterward. Or I may not I don't know. I wasn't using notes from the game or anything so any misspellings I apologize for now. In case your wondering Soren used his Thoron tome to hit the Black Knight with a critical. I have not finished that chapter yet. (My Mist sucked and Ike didn't have Aether so I had to restart because I refuse to cope with Ena. That's why I didn't have the Knight say anything.) Any other questions review me and I'll answer them either in a personal message or in another chapter. Thanks for reading!

Maiden


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